The present invention pertains to a device for installing and removing gas purging plugs for metallurgical vessels, especially for ladles, with a guide for axially displacing the gas purging plug.
A device suitable for extracting gas purging plugs, which consists of a frame attached to the bottom of the vessel, is described in DE-A1-33,30,105. A spindle, via which the force needed for the extraction can be applied, is mounted in the frame. It is disadvantageous that it is very difficult to eject the used gas purging plug because of the very cramped space conditions. Devices for inserting and extracting gas purging plugs, which consist of a lever hinged to one end of the bottom of the vessel, have been known from DE-A1,38,33,504. The gas purging plug is arranged in a hinged manner approximately in the center of the lever arm. Such devices are permanently attached to the bottom of the vessel, because they are also used as a closure for holding the gas purging plug during operation. Consequently, a separate device is needed for each site of installation of a gas purging plug. Another disadvantage of such devices is the fact that hot gases may escape from the vessel, and if these gases come into contact with a gas purging plug freshly coated with a layer of mortar, they bring about an undesired, nonuniform and excessively rapid drying. In addition, the nozzle brick is accessible with very great difficulty only for cleaning operations that may be necessary.
Exactly parallel introduction of the gas purging plug is not possible in this manner.